Burunche’s Blog

Joshua 8:1 – 28 “Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. See, I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”

So Joshua and the whole army set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out at night with these orders: “Pay attention. You are to lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it. All of you must be ready. Then I and all the troops with me will advance on the city. When they come out against us as they did the first time, we will flee from them. They will pursue us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ So as we flee from them, you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hands. After you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do as the LORD has commanded! See, I have given you orders.”

So Joshua sent them out, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. But Joshua spent that night among the people. Joshua got up early the next morning and mobilized his men, and he and the elders of Israel marched before them up to Ai. Then all the troops who were with him marched up and approached the city. They arrived in front of Ai and camped to the north of it, with the valley between them and the city.

Now Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. So the forces were stationed with the main camp to the north of the city and the rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley.

When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set against him behind the city. Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness. Then all the men of Ai were summoned to pursue them, and they followed Joshua and were drawn away from the city. Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city wide open while they pursued Israel.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai, and as soon as he did so, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position. They rushed forward, entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.

When the men of Ai turned and looked back, the smoke of the city was rising into the sky. They could not escape in any direction, and the troops who had fled to the wilderness now became the pursuers. When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai. Meanwhile, those in the ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces on both sides. So Israel struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained. But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai who had pursued them into the field and wilderness, and when every last one of them had fallen by the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and struck it down with the sword. A total of twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai. Joshua did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai. Israel took for themselves only the cattle and plunder of that city, as the LORD had commanded Joshua.

So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolation to this day. He hung the body of the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.”

When the Israelites set out to attack Ai the first time, they only sent a small force; however, they failed to ask God for advice before they started. Arrogantly ignoring the fact that it was God who had given victory at Jericho, the Israelites also failed to realize that one of their number had stolen and hidden things that should either have been destroyed or turned over to the Lord, leaving the Israelites spiritually unprotected. Now the Israelites are about to attack Ai; however, this time Joshua has gotten marching orders from God. Joshua is to take the whole army with him, and this time the Israelites are allowed to carry off plunder and animals; however, they are still to destroy all the inhabitants. Acting on God’s advice, Joshua sets up ambushes and then confronts Ai with a relatively small number of fighting men. The king of Ai is certain he has the Israelites on the run, and all the soldiers in Ai pursue the Israelites. Suddenly Joshua turns around, holds up his spear, and those in ambush rush in and take the city, setting it on fire. The forces of Ai find themselves caught between two large groups of soldiers and are annihilated. The Israelites destroy the king of Ai and pile huge rocks over his body and the city gates.

APPLICATION: This passage is a bit long, but you need all the details to get the full picture. What can we learn from this story?

1. YOU ALWAYS MAKE MISTAKES WHEN YOU TAKE ADVICE FROM MEN INSTEAD OF FROM GOD! God’s plan for Ai was always different from Joshua’s. It was not God who advised Joshua to only send 3,000 men to attack Ai; it was the report of the spies who advised Joshua. Joshua never asked God for advice about Ai.
2. YOU SUCCEED WHEN YOU FOLLOW GOD’S DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. For some reason, God did not want Ai to merely be conquered and taken over by the Israelites but to be destroyed so completely that even the city gates would only remain as a pile of rocks. Later on, the Israelites conquer cities and simply take them over and re – name them. Whatever was going on at Ai was evil enough that God didn’t want any trace to remain, apart from piles of boulders.
3. GOD’S ORDERS ARE FOR EVERYONE, NOT FOR JUST A FEW. Had those 3,000 soldiers taken Ai in the first place, there is no telling what they might have done or how they might have behaved afterwards. By involving the entire army, God ensured that all the fighting men would share in the victory. In many churches, the pastor and a few others do most of the work while the rest of the congregation sits. God wants everyone involved in some fashion, depending on their gifts and talents.
4. WHEN WE DO OUR WILL IN GOD’S NAME, WE MESS UP BIG – TIME! WHEN WE DO GOD’S WILL, WE GET GREAT RESULTS. Partial obedience is not obedience. Many times, we see what God wants in a situation, but we are unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to do things God’s way. Having failed to get God’s advice in the first place or to follow it if we have gotten it, we then want to blame God for our failures. The problem lies with us and not with God.
5. GOD ALWAYS HAS A PLAN; SOMETIMES IT IS PLAN B, RATHER THAN PLAN A. God is infinitely resourceful and is always doing new things in new ways. We, on the other hand, want to stick with whatever has worked in the past, whether or not that approach will be appropriate for the current situation.

As we strive to follow God, we must always be prepared for God to take us in new and different directions. Remember, God not only has Plan B, but also Plans C, D, E, etc.

PRAYER: Father God, help us to ask Your advice first and not wait until we have made a mess of our lives before asking. Thank You that You are long – suffering and forgiving and that You will give wisdom to anybody who asks. We bless and praise Your glorious Name. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Joshua 7:15 – 26 “So Joshua arose early the next morning and had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He had the Zerahite clan come forward by families, and Zabdi was selected. And he had Zabdi’s family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.

So, Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

“It is true,” Achan replied, “I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

So, Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there it all was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out before the LORD.

Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his oxen, donkeys, and sheep, his tent, and everything else he owned, and brought them to the Valley of Achor.

“Why have you brought this trouble upon us?” said Joshua. “Today the LORD will bring trouble upon you!” And all Israel stoned him to death. Then they stoned the others and burned their bodies. And they heaped over Achan a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. So, the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore, that place is called the Valley of Achor(“Troubler”) to this day.”

Why would anybody risk their life, the lives of their loved ones, and everything they owned? Look at what Achan stole and hid: a beautiful cloak from Shinar – this should have been burned; two hundred shekels (five pounds) of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels (1.26 pounds.) The silver and gold should have been turned over to the temple. The total value of these things was far less than the value of a single human life; yet, Achan had grabbed these things and had hidden them. It’s likely that even Achan’s family had no idea what he had done.

Why did God want all the spoils from Jericho to be destroyed or turned over to Him? Jericho was to be the first fruits of conquest, and first fruits always belonged to the Lord. Achan was actually quite well to do, having oxen, donkeys, sheep, a tent, and a family. But in a moment of weakness, Achan doomed his family and himself to destruction.

Notice that once Achan’s sin was uncovered, even the things that he had stolen were included in the destruction. Every person and every animal was stoned to death and the bodies burned. A huge pile of stones was erected so that every time an Israelite passed that way, they would remember Achan and remind themselves to be obedient and not to be greedy. How horrible it must have been for Achan as he saw his wife and children being dragged into that valley, knowing that he was the one who had brought them to this awful fate! How many of the Israelites standing throwing stones were thanking God that they had managed to resist temptation!

APPLICATION: Jesus told his disciples, “What will it prophet a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Achan began as one of the faithful and ended in shame and disgrace.  There’s a song made popular by the group “Casting Crowns” called “American Dream.” The song describes a businessman who has spent his entire life chasing the American dream of prosperity. We may not face exactly the same challenges as Achan, but we can certainly make the same mistakes! May God help us to chase Him and not gold and silver! May we not make human sacrifices out of our families! 

AMERICAN DREAM

All work, no play may have made Jack a dull boy
But all work, no God has left Jack with a lost soul
But he’s moving on full steam
He’s chasing the American dream
He’s gonna give his family the finer things

Not this time son, I’ve no time to waste
Maybe tomorrow, we’ll have time to play
And then he slips into his new BMW
And drives farther and farther and farther away

‘Cause He works all day and tries to sleep at night
He says things will get better
Better in time

So he works and he builds with his own two hands
And he pours all he has in a castle made with sand
But the wind and the rain are comin’ crashing in
Time will tell just how long his kingdom stands
His kingdom stands

His American Dream is beginning to seem
More and more like a nightmare
With every passing day
“Daddy, can you come to my game?”
“Oh Baby, please don’t work late”
Another wasted weekend
And they are slipping away

‘Cause he works all day and lies awake at night
He tells them things will get better
It’ll just take a little more time

So he works and he builds with his own two hands
And he pours all he has in a castle made with sand
But the wind and the rain are comin’ crashing in
Time will tell just how long his kingdom stands
His kingdom stands

He used to say, “Whoever dies with the most toys wins”
But if he loses his soul, what has he gained in the end?
I’ll take a shack on a rock
Over a castle in the sand

Now he works all day and cries alone at night
It’s not getting any better
Looks like he’s running out of time

‘Cause he worked and he built with his own two hands
And he poured all he had in a castle made with sand
But the wind and the rain are coming crashing in
Time will tell just how long his kingdom stands
His kingdom stands

All they really wanted was you
All they really wanted was you
All they really wanted was you

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us! Lord, help us to seek Your Will for our lives and not to chase after money or possessions! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Joshua 7:1 – 15 “The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So, the LORD’s anger burned against the Israelites.

Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So, the men went up and spied out Ai.

On returning to Joshua, they reported, “There is no need to send all the people; two or three thousand men are enough to go up and attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, you need not wear out all our people there.”

So about three thousand men went up, but they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarries and striking them down on the slopes. So, the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.

“O, Lord GOD,” Joshua said, “why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to be destroyed? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies? When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?”

But the LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them, and they have taken some of what was devoted to destruction. Indeed, they have stolen and lied about it, and they have put these things with their own possessions. This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they themselves have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you whatever is devoted to destruction. Get up and consecrate the people, saying, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Among you, O Israel, there are things devoted to destruction. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them. In the morning you must present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe that the LORD selects shall come forward clan by clan, and the clan that the LORD selects shall come forward family by family, and the family that the LORD selects shall come forward man by man. The one who is caught with the things devoted to destruction must be burned, along with all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD and committed an outrage in Israel.’”

SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG IN THE ISRAELITE CAMP! After the resounding defeat of Jericho, the Israelites are running on an adrenaline high. When they send out a small force to attack a small city, they suffer a shocking defeat and lose 36 men in the process. What’s gone wrong? Remember that in Joshua 6:18 – 19, God warns the people, saying, “But keep away from the things devoted to destruction, lest you yourself be set apart for destruction. If you take any of these, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster upon it. For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.”

Joshua and the elders go before the ark of the covenant and tear their clothes, pouring dust on their heads, and falling on their faces in prayer until the time of the evening sacrifice. Joshua asks God why He has ever brought the Israelites across the Jordan, only for them to run from their enemies. And Joshua subtly accuses God by asking Him how He, God, is going to defend His name if the Israelites are wiped off the face of the earth. In a way, Joshua is asking God what God has done wrong. But God isn’t about to be manipulated and commands Joshua to get up from the dirt and quit complaining. Then God reveals to Joshua that one of the Israelites has kept some of the forbidden things and must pay with his life and the lives of his family members as a result.

What made “things devoted to destruction” so bad? These items were dedicated to demons; as long as the item survived, it could serve as a channel for demonic activity, bringing evil to anyone who came near it. The demons might even entice the spiritually unwary into worshiping them as gods. If the Israelites were to do God’s work, they couldn’t be cherishing items dedicated to Satan at the same time.

APPLICATION: We were friends with a lady who had been a missionary nurse in northern Ghana. In one community in which our friend worked, there was a horrible cult called the “Kwansi” Cult. The Kwansi Cult kidnapped teen – aged boys and girls, whisking them off to remote huts where they brain washed them. The boys appeared to survive relatively well, but the girls likely suffered gang rape. Once a girl had “entered the hut” and had gone through those rituals, for the rest of her life she would hang her head down and would refuse to make eye contact with anyone or take initiative for anything. The body language was that of girls who had been repeatedly raped and tortured. Our brave friend, along with two police officers and some local pastors, had to confront cult members when they kidnapped some local pastors’ daughters.

Eventually, the cult was defeated; however, our friend mistakenly collected the cow horn they used as their symbol as a prize of war. Our friend took that horn back with her to America and proudly displayed it as a sign that Satan had been defeated, little realizing that she should have burned it at once back in Ghana. Years went by, and our friend suffered one health problem after another. Ghanaian pastor friends visited her and begged her to destroy that cult object; yet, she did not. When we visited her in December 1997, we convinced her to destroy it; however, there was no way of burning it that night and we left the following morning. We doubt that the object was ever destroyed.

THERE IS NOTHING SAFE ABOUT OBJECTS FROM CULTS! Sometimes tourists innocently bring carvings, paintings, woven work, and other objects home with them, having no idea who originally created the item. When we returned to America in 1990, we found a carving of a drummer among our belongings that neither of us remembered receiving. The carving was well done; however, we always felt that somehow it was looking at us. Finally, after moving the carving from room to room, my husband beat the carving to pieces and burned it. We suspect that when our things were at the port to be shipped, someone slipped that carving in as a means of gaining some kind of power over us. I do not tell these stories to discourage anyone from collecting beautiful hand made items, but one must be careful and discerning.

There is a second lesson to be learned from this story in Joshua, a lesson of obedience. God clearly warned the Israelites not to have anything to do with those items that should be turned over to the temple. Gold, silver, brass, and iron could all go through fire and thus be purified. The Israelites were not to become hoarders.

What makes a hoarder? During the Great Depression of the 1930’s, many families found themselves in tight financial circumstances; as a result, many in that generation saved string, glass jars, material, buttons, cardboard boxes, etc. These people recycled and upcycled long before it was trendy, simply out of fear of lack. There is nothing wrong with being thrifty and there is nothing wrong with recycling or re – purposing things. But the question is that of motivation. When people act out of fear, it becomes far more difficult to separate them from the items they have hoarded. As the reality TV show “Hoarders” has illustrated, hoarders can wind up prisoners in their own homes, surrounded by piles of rubble that they are carefully saving. These people don’t own things; the things own them.

God does not want us to become hoarders. We are given things to enjoy but also to pass on to others. We must receive with open hands, ready to give when God prompts us. And we must always be obedient to God. When God tells us to let something alone, we must listen and obey! God sent many people to our missionary friend to warn her, but she had become so attached to that cult object that she refused to listen.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Help us to receive Your good things with open hands, ready to pass them on as needed. But also help us to be wise and to leave cult objects and anything questionable alone. Help us also to remember that certain things belong to You alone and that we should never envy those things but leave them alone. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.    

Joshua 6:15 – 27 “Then on the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. That was the only day they circled the city seven times. After the seventh time around, the priests blew the horns, and Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the things devoted to destruction, lest you yourself be set apart for destruction. If you take any of these, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster upon it. For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.” So, when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. The people charged into the city, each man straight ahead, and captured the city. At the edge of the sword, they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.

Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her. So, the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel. Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house. And Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her father’s household and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. So, she has lived among the Israelites to this day.

At that time Joshua invoked this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho; at the cost of his firstborn, he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”

So, the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.”

It’s one of the most dramatic stories in the Old Testament. After six days of silently marching around the city with only the sound of the rams’ horns and the sound of 40,000 pairs of marching feet echoing across the plains, this time the Israelite fighting men make a seventh trip around the walls of Jericho. (Estimates of the size of the Israelite fighting force are difficult to come by.) At any rate, when the rams’ horns blew at the end of the seventh trip around Jericho, the Israelites gave a mighty shout, and the mud brick walls of Jericho collapsed outward. Did God arrange a small earth tremor to coincide with the shout? Quite possibly. At the same time, there is also anther phenomenon to be considered, the law of harmonic vibrations or harmonic resonance “jeopardizing structural integrity. “The build-up of constant vibrations on a structure can, eventually, lead to structural integrity being compromised. A worse-case scenario would be the complete collapse of the structure and is the reason some bridges insist that marching troops break step before crossing. Crowds jumping in time to music or in response to a goal in a stadium are also dynamic loads that might damage an under-designed structure.” (https://www.waterpowermagazine.com/opinion/opinionwhy-engineers-must-always-consider-human-induced-vibration-7973889/).

While some authors discard these theories and attempt to claim that the walls never collapsed at the time of Joshua, the accuracy of other Biblical accounts would support the notion of a combination of factors. As 40,000 fighting men marched around the walls in cadence with rams’ horns blowing for six days in a row, the mud bricks were probably weakening. Seven trips around the walls plus shouting and the blowing of rams’ horns on the seventh day, plus an earth tremor were probably all combined to bring down the walls of Jericho. And since much of the walls were mud bricks, a few rainy seasons would help wash away that evidence. It took hundreds of years before Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho while sacrificing two of his sons to do so, thus fulfilling Joshua’s grisly curse cum prophecy.

What is really important about this story is not the collapse of the walls, but the obedience of the Israelites afterwards. Remember that these people were still hiding Egyptian idols in their tents. But the Israelites really did save Rahab and her family and turn all the gold, silver, iron, and bronze objects over to the Lord’s temple while destroying everyone and everything else. By the time the Israelites had finished, there wasn’t so much as a single sheep left. For once, the Israelites really did follow orders completely.

Rahab eventually married an Israelite husband and became an ancestress of both King David and Jesus. The Israelites returned safely to their camp.

APPLICATION: There is so much to learn from the story of the fall of Jericho.

1. When God calls you to do something, don’t hesitate or have second thoughts. For once, there is no record of anybody arguing with Joshua about destroying all the people and the animals.
2. Leave devoted things to God and don’t keep them for yourself. When offered to the Lord, the gold, silver, iron and bronze were blessings; however, had anyone attempted to keep anything back for themselves, they would have been cursed for disobedience and greed. Sometimes God gives us money or other possessions, not so that we can be blessed ourselves, but so that we can pass these things on to others. I was once at a church gathering when someone came up to me and told me that God had ordered them to give me $50. I was shocked but pleased; however, the next day, I found that friends needed new tires that they couldn’t afford. That $50 purchased $49.50 worth of new tires. (Obviously, this was a long time ago!)
3. When you do your part, God will do His part. The Israelites had to march around Jericho seven days in a row. There were probably people on that seventh day who wondered what the point was, since nothing had happened on the previous six days. But they were obedient, and they got their miracle.
4. Sometimes God tests our obedience. Were there any soldiers who dropped out after the sixth day? We don’t know. Certainly, anyone who dropped out would have bitterly regretted it afterwards because they would have been back at camp with the women and children. Obey God and see what He will do!

Perhaps you feel as if you have been stuck in “sixth day mode” forever with no end in sight. But if you are being faithful to do what God has called you to do, rest assured that at the right moment, He will step in.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Thank You that Your timing is perfect. Help us to trust where we cannot see. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Joshua 6:1-14 “Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”

 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.  The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.”

For six days, the Israelites marched around Jericho once a day blowing trumpets. According to Rahab the harlot, the citizens of Jericho were already terrorized by God’s reputation, so nobody came out of Jericho to threaten the Israelites. But the Israelites themselves must have felt a little silly, especially when they reached the sixth day and nothing was happening. What was God up to?

The geology of the area of Jericho is fascinating. The Dead Sea Fault runs from the Red Sea to southeastern Turkey, and the Jericho Fault is a major part of the Dead Sea Fault. Two tectonic plates come together at this fault. This means that the entire area is potentially prone to earthquakes and slippages.  It was likely a slippage that dammed up the Jordan River, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground. (https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2018GL077547)

The construction of the Jericho walls is equally interesting. While the foundations of the walls of Jericho were stone, the upper parts of the wall were sun – baked mud brick. But why force the Israelites to march around Jericho once a day for six days? Why not just tell them to march around seven times one day and be done with it?

God knew that both the Israelites and the citizens of Jericho were highly superstitious. Following rituals was nothing new to these people. As the Israelites kept marching once a day for six days, the people of Jericho must have become increasingly terrified. Obviously, the Israelites intended to attack; the only questions were when and how? The longer the Israelites marched around Jericho, the more demoralized the citizens of Jericho became, rendering them far less likely to resist. But what did the rest of the Israelites think after they had marched six days without anything happening? By this point, there might have been people wondering if anything was going to happen!

APPLICATION: Many times, we may have prayed for something, expecting swift answers to prayer, only to feel like the Israelites on Day #6. We have been obedient, but nothing is happening and we wonder if we really heard God properly or if we are merely deceiving ourselves. We begin to doubt both ourselves and God. We might even begin to think things such as “Well, perhaps I just imagined that God told me to pray this way. Perhaps I have deluded myself. Is there any point to continuing or do I need to quit?”

One of the wonderful but frustrating parts of God’s Kingdom is the fact that His timing is split – second. Remember that when the Israelites were about to cross the Jordan, it was only when the priests’ feet touched the water that the water began to dry up. By requiring the Israelites to march around Jericho for six days in a row without any visible results, God was ensuring that they would learn to trust Him far more than they already had.

Are you frustrated because you have been praying for years without any results? George Mueller was a man of great faith who founded orphanages in Bristol, England that cared for thousands of orphans. Mueller prayed and asked God for help; however, he never sent out any appeals or staged any campaigns. In addition to the orphanages, Mueller supported Sunday schools, Christian literature distribution, and a number of missions, including Hudson Taylor’s China Inland Mission. Reading Mueller’s biography is like getting a glimpse into the life of Elijah or one of the other miracle – working prophets. And yet, there was one man for whom Mueller prayed for more than forty years. This man was the son of one of Mueller’s friends, and he had emigrated to Canada where he intended to live as he pleased without his father’s Christian beliefs interfering with him. Mueller’s friend died; however, Mueller persisted in praying for the friend’s son. It was only upon Mueller’s death that the son finally repented and came to know Christ as Savior and Lord.

Has God asked you to do something unusual and you are beginning to feel like the Israelites on Day # 6? Take heart! Hang in there! Day #7 is coming. Your miracle may be closer than you think!

PRAYER: Father God, there are some people reading this devotional who are becoming discouraged. Prayers, petitions, even fasting, is not yielding any results and they wonder if they heard You correctly in the first place. Lord, strengthen these loved ones and comfort them. Help them to know that You are still in the miracle business but that Your timing is perfect. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Joshua 5:13 – 15 “Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”  The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.”

It’s one of the strangest stories in the Old Testament, one that has raised questions ever since it first happened. Who was that man with the sword in his hand? Some people think that was Michael, the Archangel, and the guardian angel of the Jews. Others think that this might have been Jesus. Either explanation might seem reasonable; however, Joshua’s act of worship would indicate that this man with the sword was God in some form. Angels never received worship, although people did faint before them in terror and awe. When Moses encountered God in the burning bush, God ordered him to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. In the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as the Commander of the Host, so it is logical to assume that this man with the sword was Jesus. Later on, when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, a fourth man appeared walking in the fire with them. Many believe that man was Jesus.

By the time Joshua had this encounter, Joshua and God knew each other. Joshua was on Mount Sinai with Moses. Later, Joshua accompanied Moses into the Tabernacle, and when Moses would leave the Tabernacle, Joshua would remain. Joshua was one of two spies who urged the Israelites to enter the Promised Land the first time, insisting that God could easily conquer the giants they had seen there. It is quite likely that Joshua prayed and worshiped regularly; certainly, he ensured that the Israelites celebrate the Passover once they entered the Promised Land. When ordered to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground, Joshua did so at once.

Joshua asks a great question, “Are you for us or against us?” Faced with a man who obviously had power, Joshua needs to know what is going on. Perhaps the local gods are more powerful than Joshua realized and this man with the sword is a manifestation of one of them. But the man gives a puzzling answer: “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” During the Civil War, a group of men called upon President Lincoln. One of them said:” Mr. President, we trust during this time of trial in which the nation is engaged, God is on our side, and will give us victory. Lincoln is said to have replied: “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side. My great concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” The question here was not whether God was on the side of the Israelites, but whether the Israelites were on God’s side.

David Guzik in his Enduring Word Commentary argues that this man with the sword was indeed Jesus and says this: “Joshua’s total submission to Jesus Christ shows that he knows who is really in charge. It also is a virtual guarantee of victory for Israel. When we follow after the Commander of the army of the LORD, how can we lose?

i. Why did Jesus come to Israel at this strategic time

· He had come to instruct Joshua in the plan to capture Jericho. Joshua will carry out a plan in the following chapter that is so improbable it could only have been initiated at the direct command of God.

· Most of all, He had come to conquer Israel – before Israel could conquer anything else in the promised land, they had to be conquered by God – and Joshua’s total submission shows that they are conquered by Him. This is the missing element in a life of victory for many Christians; they have not been, and are not continually being, conquered by God.” (David Guzik, https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/joshua-5/)

As the commander of the Israelites, Joshua represented his entire nation; therefore, when Joshua totally submitted, he was acting on behalf of all the Israelites.

APPLICATION: WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? Many of us might be incensed if someone dared to hint that we were not on God’s side; however, the question is vitally important. Mike Warnke, a Christian comedian tells of a time when he first began evangelism that he was trying to copy every famous evangelist he knew, but nothing was happening. Finally, Warnke went to God in prayer and asked a question: “God, what are YOU doing wrong?” God answered, “It’s not me, it’s you.” God went on to show Mike that Mike had been trying to do his own will in God’s name. Mike asked God, “So what’s the difference?” God answered simply, “Results!” If you are trying to follow the Lord and not getting results, perhaps you had better pray and ask God if you are doing your own will in God’s name.

There’s a country Gospel song that says, “Too much thunder and not enough rain! Too many programs and not enough praying! Too many people making too many changes, like too much thunder and not enough rain.” (Dixie Melody Boys, “Too Much Thunder”) When we fail to pray and submit ourselves to God before we act, we are headed for disaster.

Joshua needed that encounter with God so that he would not start dreaming up battle plans on his own. Only God could design the plan that would bring down the walls of Jericho, because only God knew where the earthquake faults were and how susceptible the mud brick walls would be to collapse. In Joshua 6 God gave Joshua marching orders that still sound bizarre when we read them. But Joshua had already worshiped and submitted himself to God.

Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Today, why don’t you find a quiet place and ask God to show you what HE wants you to do. But make sure you are truly submitted and be prepared for surprises!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Help us to seek Your will and to trust Your leading. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Joshua 5:10 – 12 “On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover.  The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain.  The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.”

You can find the story in Exodus 16. The Israelites were out in the Wilderness with dwindling food supplies. As usual, this bunch of ungrateful wretches was kvetching! (“Kvetching” is a Yiddish term and is like whining, only more so!)

Exodus 16:2 – 15, “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.  The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” (My observation: HUH??? These people were SLAVES! There’s no way the Egyptians were feeding them that well! They have faulty memories!)

 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

 So, Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning, you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”

 Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling. While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud. The Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning, you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’” That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.  When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.”

The term “manna” literally means “what is it?” For forty years, two million Israelites depended on this manna for most of their food supplies. While the people might have complained, manna became a staple of their diet and gathering manna became a way of life. Undoubtedly, the women and children were the ones who went out and gathered the manna every morning. Manna might have been boring, but at least it was reliable and predictable.

The Israelites crossed the Jordan just in time to celebrate the Passover in the land of Canaan. Presumably, the Israelites celebrated the Passover using manna; however, the day after they celebrated Passover, they found enough flour and roasted grain to feed themselves. The day after that happened, the manna stopped.

The manna stopped because it was no longer needed; however, God also stopped it for another reason. Manna might have been boring, but the Israelites were used to it. Eating manna had become a normal thing; as long as the Israelites had manna, they were probably not in a hurry to attack any cities or conquer any tribes. God knew that unless the Israelites had a compelling reason, they might just sit down on the plains of Jericho and never move forward. But if there was no more manna, then the Israelites would have to go on and conquer if they were to survive. Hunger would motivate conquest.

APPLICATION: What do you do when the manna stops? Sometimes, God provides for us and we don’t even realize it. It’s only when God’s provision stops that we recognize what He’s been doing. And when that provision suddenly stops, what do most of us do? We respond just like the Israelites; we kvetch!

Perhaps COVID has turned your life upside down. You had a good job and a comfortable living situation. Now the business for which you worked has folded and you are wondering what to do next. Ask God! Notice that the manna didn’t stop until the day after the Israelites had eaten the bread and grain of the land. God provided the manna just as long as it was necessary. God is not going to drop you; however, God may be calling you into some totally different and greater work.

As long as the Israelites were camped on the plain of Jericho eating manna, they probably weren’t very interested in attacking Jericho. Perhaps some of the men sneaked off and looked at the size of the city walls and began having second thoughts. But God didn’t intend for the Israelites to remain as former slaves; God intended for them to become conquerors.

Has the manna stopped in your life? Look around you and see what God may be calling you to do. God wants you to move into some greater and finer work.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Help us to trust you, even when the “manna” stops in our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen

Joshua 5:1 – 9 “Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and their spirits failed for fear of the Israelites.

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel once again.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth (the hill of the foreskins.)

Now this is why Joshua circumcised them: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of war—had died on the journey in the wilderness after they had left Egypt. Though all who had come out were circumcised, none of those born in the wilderness on the journey from Egypt had been circumcised. For the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years, until all the nation’s men of war who had come out of Egypt had died, since they did not obey the LORD. So, the LORD vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. And Joshua raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones he circumcised. Until this time they were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way.

And after all the nation had been circumcised, they stayed there in the camp until they were healed. Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So that place has been called Gilgal (roll) to this day.”

Joshua is about to undertake the conquest of the city of Jericho and has already sent out spies. Why would it be necessary to perform an uncomfortable procedure that would leave the fighting men unable to go to battle properly for several days? First, we must look at the importance of circumcision in the Jewish tradition. God ordered Abraham and all the males of his household to be circumcised. (Genesis 17:1-14) Evidently, the Israelite males who left Egypt had undergone circumcision; however, once that generation died off, the succeeding generations were not circumcised. Circumcision was instituted by God as a physical sign of an eternal covenant between God and the Jews. If the Israelite males who had crossed the Jordan River failed to undergo circumcision, they would be flagrantly disobeying God, breaking covenant with Him, and would face certain disaster.

Throughout Jewish history, circumcision played an important role as a sign of the covenant between God and the Jews. Later during the time of Greek and Roman influence, there were apostate non – practicing Jews who underwent reversal procedures to try to make themselves look uncircumcised so that they could exercise naked in the gymnasiums.

Why didn’t the men of Jericho come out and attack the Israelites while their fighting men were still recovering from circumcision? The key is in the first few verses. ““Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and their spirits failed for fear of the Israelites.” When God dammed up the flooded Jordan River so that the Israelites could cross, He was also conclusively demonstrating His power to all the enemies of the Israelites as well. These tribes were hiding in their cities, wondering when the God of the Israelites was going to strike and destroy them. And there were probably 600,000 fighting men and 2,000,000 Israelites camped there at Gilgal, a huge group by anybody’s estimation.

Why did God tell Joshua that He had “rolled away the reproach of Egypt” from the Israelites? The Egyptians did not routinely practice circumcision, nor did many of the tribes the Israelites were about to encounter. God knew that even now, some of the Israelites were still clinging to Egyptian idols and Egyptian practices. By demanding that all the males undergo circumcision, God was making His mark on the bodies of those men, making them as distinct from the Egyptians as possible and giving them an unforgettable reminder of His covenant with them. Every time one of those men went to urinate, he would see God’s mark.

APPLICATION: Circumcision was never just about surgically removing the foreskin from the penis. Later in Jeremiah 4:4 God tells the people of Judah, “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done— burn with no one to quench it.”

Circumcision was an outward symbol of devotion to the One True Living God. When Jeremiah was warning the people of Jerusalem to circumcise their hearts, he meant for them to remove every belief that was not rooted in God and every practice in their lives that did not honor God. The Jews of Jeremiah’s time practiced circumcision; however, they were trusting in empty rituals, not realizing that the rituals were meant as a sign of obedience. To practice rituals with the aim of manipulating God was both pointless and insulting to God.

Circumcision actually has a number of health benefits. Uncircumcised males are far more likely to develop cancer of the penis, a painful, embarrassing problem that may require unpleasant operations. Most surgeons and many emergency doctors have had to deal with male patients whose foreskins have been retracted and gotten stuck in that position, forcing emergency surgery. But what does “Circumcision of the heart” mean for us?

God wants us to love Him, honor Him, and serve Him with everything we’ve got. But many of us lead fragmented lives. Oswald Chambers has used the phrase “spiritual measles.” Many of us look good only in some spots but not in others. God wants our total obedience, and that means removing anything that does not honor God from our hearts, our minds, and our lives.

Some of us attend church or access on – line services but then turn to violent video games or even to pornography. There are programs on television that focus on serial killers, drug traffickers, and others. But God tells us in Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  1 Corinthians 6:19 – 20 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”

To honor God with your body is to practice circumcision of the heart. The Israelite soldiers had to undergo physical circumcision before they could hope to defeat their enemies. We must undergo circumcision of the heart if we want to overcome Satan and to live victorious lives.

PRAYER: Father God, we are in a mess! We have not honored You above everything else. We are distracted and confused. Help us to eliminate those things that are not of You and to concentrate on pleasing You above all else. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Joshua 4:10 – 24 “Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the Lord and the priests came to the other side while the people watched.  The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them.  About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.

That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses. Then the Lord said to Joshua,“Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan.” So, Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.

On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.  And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea^] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over.He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

The first photo shown above is an actual photo of the Jordan River in flood stage. Little wonder if the Israelites had no idea how they would cross that river! The Jordan came from three principal sources on the slopes of Mount Hermon and had a high rate of flow; its floods tumbled huge boulders until they were completely smooth. The reason God had Joshua order those twelve strong men to carry those big rocks from the river was that stones that were not in the river had sharp edges while those boulders whose corners had been ground off repeatedly by flooding would immediately be recognized as having come from the center of the Jordan. Some of these boulders may have started out a great distance from Joshua’s crossing point, having been carried along by the annual floods until they reached their final resting place.  

What was the point of setting up the stones at Gilgal? Gilgal was on the west side of the Jordan, just opposite the point at which the Israelites had crossed. God knew that people had short memories and that before long, future generations of Israelites might treat the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River as a myth. These stones of remembrance were to ensure that future generations would never forget God’s power and His grace!

APPLICATION: What good are memorials??? In the last few years, a number of statues and other memorials have been destroyed for various reasons; however, this destruction is not wise. In some cases, those destroying the memorials had misinformation regarding the individual honored and tore down monuments honoring the brave and virtuous. Memorials are useful for a number of reasons. There is a saying in the American South that “Everybody has some use. Some people can serve as a bad example.” Monuments honoring someone who has fallen out of political favor can still instruct future generations in how not to behave.

In our own lives, we also need stones of remembrance to help us recall God’s mercy and God’s grace. Some soldiers keep pieces of shrapnel that have been removed from their bodies to remind them of how God has saved them. Some veterans celebrate their “Alive Day” each year, the day that they survived a horrible injury.

What magnificent things has God done for you? Has God delivered you from danger? This week we celebrate 14 years of good health for my husband. In October 2007, my husband Bob had a mild heart attack while we were in Saboba. We only had this information confirmed when Bob was being screened in January 2008 for possible hip surgery. On the evening of February 4, 2008, Bob developed severe chest pain that required his emergency transport to a regional hospital, where he later underwent cardiac bypass surgery. Earlier that day, we had driven 300 miles in dense fog; had Bob developed problems then, our situation might have become dire. Bob’s last words as he was going into surgery were, “If I die on the table, go back to Saboba!” I celebrated my 60^th birthday by bringing Bob home from the hospital and caring for him. Since then, Bob has done great! We don’t need a pile of stones for remembrance; Bob has a permanent scar on his chest.

Why create memorials? Memorials are a sign of gratitude to God and a reminder to us of God’s goodness and His grace. What memorials do you need to create in your life?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to continually remember Your goodness, Your mercy, Your love, and Your grace. Help us to remember all Your kindness to us and praise You forever! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Joshua 4:1 – 9 “When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

So, Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’  tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

So, the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.”

The Jordan River starts on the slopes of Mount Hermon and carves a deep groove down to the Sea of Galilee. The rate of flow of the river is very rapid, smoothing huge rocks as they tumble along. Those men whom Joshua selected must have been very strong because the stones had to be carried all the way to Gilgal where the Israelites camped after crossing the Jordan. Certainly, the Israelites would have wanted to get far enough away from the Jordan to avoid any flood waters. Although it is difficult to locate the site of ancient Gilgal, it is at least a kilometer or two away from the Jordan.

The erection of standing stones as memorials was quite common in Bible times. Jacob erected two different standing stones, one at Bethel, where he saw the vision of the angels ascending and descending, and the second when Jacob and his father – in – law Laban made a peace treaty after Jacob had left Laban to return to Canaan. Moses set up twelve standing stones on Mount Sinai to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Later the prophet Samuel set up a stone that he called “Ebenezer,” meaning “hitherto has the Lord helped us.” Now God is ordering Joshua to set up stones. Were these stones in a heap, or in an altar, or were they set up individually? We don’t know. Although archaeologists have searched diligently, nobody has ever identified the exact location of the camp at Gilgal or of those stones.

APPLICATION: In every family’s history, there are certain events that demand some kind of memorial. A few generations ago, it was quite common for couples to frame their marriage certificates and a wedding photo to display in their living rooms. Many people kept their baptismal certificates and their confirmation certificates in the family Bible. When I was a child, I was fascinated by the objects my grandmother kept on the coffee table in her living room. Along with a photo of my brothers and me, Grandma also had a picture of my dad when he graduated from college. But the most interesting object was not the photos, but a set of my father’s baby booties that had been dipped in bronze. In a day when children didn’t always live to adulthood, such mementos were highly prized.

There are some people who are so remarkable that they are living standing stones. My first – grade teacher, Katherine Stuckey, was a great example. Everybody should have a first – grade teacher like Katherine Stuckey! Mrs. Stuckey was kind, compassionate, resourceful, and imaginative. A talented artist, Mrs. Stuckey brought in white bed sheets and had each first – grade class decorate them with crayon drawings that she then made permanent by placing wax paper over the drawings and ironing them. In the days before such things as dyslexia were recognized, Mrs. Stuckey identified children with learning problems and carefully nurtured them. Who knows how many children were saved from being convinced that they were stupid by Mrs. Stuckey’s discernment?

When I was growing up, I had a number of Sunday School teachers who were standing stones. These men and women loved God and kindly shared that love with groups of unruly students Sunday after Sunday. These people were men and women of integrity, and their very memory is a blessing.

My medical education afforded me the opportunity to engage with a number of living standing stones. Sadly, I failed to appreciate the true worth of many of these people until later in life, but I remain grateful for their examples.

We have a retired pastor friend who began life as a Fulani cattle herder for a local chief. But one day, the chief’s son came home from Bible School and led our friend to the Lord. Our friend went to Bible School, where he had to learn to read and write and to speak English before he graduated. After marrying a Christian lady, our friend served a number of remote village churches faithfully for forty – four years before retiring. Even now, our friend is recognized as a man of deep wisdom and spirituality. Our friend is truly a living standing stone.

Why talk about standing stones? These stones are noticeable in an otherwise dreary landscape. God wants each of us to become a standing stone to our families and our neighbors. Many of us will never be famous; but to those around us, we may point them to God and encourage them so that they too will become standing stones to others.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You that You have sent people into our lives to guide us and to encourage us. Help us to become living standing stones, monuments to Your grace and people of faith who will point others to You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.